


A "Gal" to Call His Own

by Anonymous



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Campfire stories, Captain America: The First Avenger, Dum Dum is no fool, Fluff, I'm very bad at tags, M/M, Mistaken Identity, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-08
Updated: 2018-10-08
Packaged: 2019-07-28 02:23:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16232285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: "There was a look in Bucky’s eyes when he described his Stevie, one akin to the look all the others had when they described their gals. But that wasn’t what Dum-Dum found fishy.What he found fishy was that Bucky stopped talking about Stevie once Captain America arrived."





	A "Gal" to Call His Own

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by [MissLexi54](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissLexi54/pseuds/MissLexi54) in the [marvel_movieverse](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/marvel_movieverse) collection. 



> Long time no see! I finally have another, fluffier oneshot for you. Enjoy!

Dum-Dum was the type of fella that always knew what was going on around him. Perceptive with the best of them, even Frenchie said so. He could figure out a story was a lie in two seconds flat - and that alone had helped them immensely when it came to the kind of situations they faced every day. It was something that he had always been able to do.

And that is why he found the situation with Barnes to be particularly fishy.

The 107th didn’t get much downtime - not that it was expected, they were at war, for Pete’s sake. When they did have downtime however, they tended to sit around a large fire, beers in hand, and just talk. They talked about so many different things - horrors they had seen, life in the training camp, life before the war. Sometimes they talked about old friends. Sometimes they talked about the gals waiting for them to come home. They all had someone waiting for them. The latter topic often came into conversation, especially when letters from home made their way to them. Homesickness was rampant at those times, and they leaned on each other for support.

Dum-Dum couldn’t help but notice that, though always ready and willing to offer a shoulder to lean on, Bucky never spoke about his gal. They all assumed he had one. They heard him whimper a name when he slept sometimes - Stevie. He also often caught him looking at a small photograph before he went to bed - not that he had ever seen it. Bucky hid it before anyone else could see it. 

There was one time that he did open up, however. One time that he spoke about his Stevie. They had just made advances in the trenches, and they were beginning to see a way to win the battle. It gave them hope, thinking that they might be able to return home soon. They all spoke about what they’d do once they returned. Bucky spoke up then, and they had all stopped to listen, waiting to hear Barnes describe the lady waiting for him. “A pretty little blonde,” he said. “God so pretty, with blue eyes brighter than the sky on a scorcher in Brooklyn Heights. Tiny little thing, hands that can draw anything and everything. Got a ferocious temper though, would try to punch a fella twice as big to make somethin’ right. Don’t wanna set Stevie off unless you got a death wish.” 

There was a look in Bucky’s eyes when he described his Stevie, one akin to the look all the others had when they described their gals. But that wasn’t what Dum-Dum found fishy. 

What he found fishy was that Bucky stopped talking about Stevie once Captain America arrived. He didn’t even whisper for her in his sleep anymore. 

Dum-Dum wasn’t sure how Bucky knew the Captain. Bucky definitely knew him, there was a familiarity to their exchanges that only came with a strong bond built over several years. But he wasn’t sure if it was a friendship, or something more. There was a palpable tension around them. He had even caught them arguing outside camp that afternoon about some sort of experiment, and they were fighting more like lovers than friends. 

It didn’t hit him however until Cap celebrated with them in the bar that night, when he saw the intense looks that he and Bucky shared the whole time. It’s then he knew what was really going on. 

He waited until Bucky went out the front for a cigarette, then went to join him, beer in hand. They shared a few minutes of quiet chat. Dum-Dum waited until Bucky had finished his smoke before bringing it up.

“You know, you’ve only spoken about your Stevie once, Sarge,” Dum-Dum murmured quietly, pausing briefly to take a sip from his bottle of beer. “I gotta admit, I feel like an idiot thinkin’ Stevie was a woman.”

Bucky choked and spit out the gulp of beer he had just taken, and his head snapped up at that, eyes as wide as a deer caught in headlights. He coughed and cleared his throat and tried - failed - to argue with him. “I - uh - I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about. Stevie is a… I like - I like gals and -” 

Dum-Dum snorted. “Don’t even try, Barnes. You were staring at Cap all evening.”

Bucky’s cheeks turned a reddish-pink, and he muttered a few curses under his breath. He glanced up at Dum-Dum, his expression resembling that of a child in terror. He felt for the kid, really. “Please, you can’t tell anyone. I won’t be able to get a job anywhere when we get home if people find out, and I need one, I need to be able to -”

“Relax, son,” he murmured, setting a steady hand on Bucky’s shoulder. “I have no problem with you likin’ fellas. It’s all the same in the end.” 

Bucky nodded, sagging back against the wall. Dum-Dum had a fair idea what had just gone through that head of his. He had seen it himself, he knew how society treated homosexuals. He knew that there were people who would want the likes of Bucky dead - not seeing the brave and tough man he was, only the fact that one part of him was different. He didn’t like it, and he hated the idea that Bucky and Cap had to hide their relationship because of it. But there was nothing he could do about that. 

What he could do, however, was make sure they had a safe place here. 

“There’s a free tent on the other side of camp. It’s got a nice enough bed in there, and no one is using it.”

Bucky narrowed his eyes, eyebrow raised. 

Dum-Dum smiled. “I won’t tell if you won’t.” He punched him lightly on the shoulder. “Go get your man, Sarge. I’ll cover for you.”

After a few moments of staring him down, Bucky seemed to realise that he was being serious. Then a bright grin crossed his face. He threw back one last slug of beer, thanked Dum-Dum quietly and made his way back into the bar. 

Dum-Dum chuckled and finished his drink. Ah, young love. He was glad Bucky had Cap know, god knows he’d need some support in these coming weeks.

He didn’t hear Gabe come behind him, and didn’t even realise he was there until he spoke. “We got a tough day ahead of us tomorrow, Dum-Dum,” he muttered. “Better rest up.” 

“I’ll be with ya in a sec.” 

Gabe nodded and headed back to the camp, dragging his feet. He knew the feeling.

Glancing into the doorway of the bar, he smiled at what he saw. Bucky and Cap sitting together at the bar, huddled close and talking, laughing. If you looked at the right angle, you could see that they were holding hands. It was discreet enough. Dum-Dum knew that they would be okay.

He didn’t know how this war would turn out. Hell, he didn’t even know if they’d be alive this time tomorrow. But he had hope. 

He gave Bucky and Cap’s clasped hands one last look, and then made his way back to his bed. They had another day’s fighting waiting for them tomorrow.


End file.
